Italian Mafia Gets in the Wind Farm Business

Need proof that green technology is a lucrative industry? Look no further than Italy, where the Mafia (AKA the “lords of the wind”) has infiltrated the wind power business. Fraud is rampant in Sicilian mob strongholds like Corleone, where the Mafia owns many wind farms. The reason: power from wind farms is sold at a high rate because of generous government subsidies intended to expand the renewable energy sector. All the mob has to do is buy off local politicians and voila, the Mafia owns the lucrative wind power business.

So far, there are 30 wind farms in Sicily and another 60 are planned. Not all of them are owned by the mob, but many are — and locals are reportedly afraid to do anything about it.

So what can be done about it? Besides getting rid of helpful government subsidies, not much. But the Sicilian situation should serve as a warning to government officials in other countries: green energy could be the next hotbed of criminal activity.